Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by Charlotte
Summary: Written by Charlotte and Anna in their latin lessons at school!
1. Three Owls

Harry's Protection  
  
Harry and Hermione were on the corner of privet drive before Harry realized his problem. "Hermione. I know you managed to become an animagus, but it takes normal wizards like me years to master." "Not an animagus Harry, that does take years. I told you. It's a spell I invented. Not at all complicated." Harry groaned. "Easy for you to say that Hermione! To you the imperious curse is 'Not to complicated.'" "Well this time I really mean it." Hermione smiled. "You know that piece of transfiguration Viktor used in the second task? The one that turned him into a shark..." Harry nodded, beginning to understand what Hermione was getting at. "Well, that only lasts for just over an hour, but if you mix it with a few other spells and some aging potion." Hermione smiled slyly, and Harry smiled back. An hour later, they were flying over Surrey as owls.  
  
"Hermione!" Harry tried to say, but all that came out of his beak was a hoot. "Yes?" Hooted Hermione in reply, and to Harry's surprise, he understood her. It was a bit like being able to talk to snakes. "This is the weirdest feeling I've had in my life. It's like the gillyweed, a bit." "Harry, I've got to warn you. Changing back isn't easy. I haven't worked out how to do it simply, but it could be dangerous." "How could it be dangerous?" Harry asked, puzzled. He didn't like the sound of this. "Well, what if you transformed back into a human now, whilst you were flying?" "I wouldn't be stupid enough to do that!" Said Harry, hooting with laughter. "But you could do it by accident." Hermione hooted nastily in reply. "S'pose so." Hooted Harry. "So, to do it, we have to use, well drink.er.polyjuice potion." "WHAT?" Hooted Harry angrily. "It's just. well you see it's not like being an animagus really. After you drink the polyjuice potion you can transform at will whenever you want for an hour. That's what I did when I came through your bedroom window. Mine's worn off now though." She said nervously. "Sorry." She said, seeing Harry glaring angrily at her. "Why didn't you tell me this BEFORE I became an owl!" Harry hooted. "Then you would have held us back and we do need to Hurry!" With a very angry look back at Hermione, Harry swept off and landed on a high branch of a tree.  
  
When Harry and Hermione finally arrived at Diagon Alley, they were both tired and irritable. "Oh Don't make such a fuss Harry!" Hermione snapped " I've already made up the polyjuice potion. All you need to do is put one of your feathers into it. And don't ask me how it works because I don't know." She added as Harry opened his mouth, perhaps to protest. Harry glared at Hermione, but finally gave a sulky 'Ok.' "I'll bring our trunks." Said Hermione, attempting to withdraw her wand from under her wing. "Hurry up." Moaned Harry. "I'm beginning to get hungry." "Oh sorry Harry." Hermione snapped back sarcastically. "It's rather difficult, believe it or not, to cast spells as an owl." She frowned and finally managed to slip her wand out, "Accio!" She hooted. "How do we know when they're coming?" Asked Harry, swallowing his anger. "Seeing as they're invisible." "We don't." Said Hermione bluntly. "Oh, Here they are." She said as a gust of wind swept over them and there was a loud clunk. Hermione nudged the trunk open with her beak, and withdrew the polyjuice bottle (which wasn't invisible) she took a sip, and Hermione appeared before Harry. Harry took a deep breath, and then took a quick peck of the potion Hermione had just put one of his feathers in. "Come on! Let's get a room then!" Said Hermione, as Harry appeared in front of her. "Yuck!" Exclaimed Harry. "It doesn't taste as bad when you're an owl." Said Hermione, although it was evident she hadn't enjoyed it either.  
  
The wizarding shopping center wasn't as crowded as usual. They walked though the arch that two seconds before had been a solid brick wall, into the Leaky Cauldron. "Hello?" Said Hermione, poking her head around the corner of the door. They walked in curiously. They exchanged uneasy looks. At last, they heard movement from the door behind the bar and Tom the innkeeper's toothless face appeared. "Mr Potter!" He said, with a mixture of horror and confusion. "Er.sorry." said Harry, puzzled. "Mr Potter are you sure you should. I mean. well are you with someone?" Hermione came around the corner. Tom stared and said "I think I'd better let Dumbledore know that you're here!" He said, taking some floo powder from a dish behind the bar. He threw some into the fire, uttered a few words, and was gone.  
  
Harry and Hermione only had time to exchange mystified looks before he reappeared by the fireplace, looking grim. "Mr Potter." Said Tom, Seriously. This was a dramatic change from his usual, bubbly self. "Dumbledore said that he gave you specific instructions to stay at your aunt and uncles house, and now you have left, the magic he cast to protect you has been broken. However, seeing as it's too late for you to go back now, Dumbledore says that you can stay here for the remainder of the holidays. You will not be allowed anywhere when it is dark, or when there are no other witches or wizards around. And Miss Granger, the ministry have received knowledge that you are able to practice magic outside school without them seeing. As you know, that is illegal and against the school rules, but the ministry is prepared to overlook it if you register the spells you have invented so the ministry is able to use them. If anything like this happens again, you will be expelled from Hogwarts." He looked steadily from Harry to Hermione, checking they had been paying attention. " I think that is all. Oh yes, Dumbledore wishes for you to tell me before you go out into Diagon alley, and you must not be gone for more than four hours at a time. If you are more, then I will come looking for you and bring you back here. You will not be allowed out for the rest of the holidays if you force me to do this." He stopped. It was evident that he did no enjoy bossing his guests around, and he way trying not to give them his usual cheerful smile and escort them upstairs. "Mr Potter, you will be in room 11 and Miss Granger, room 10." He said bluntly. " If you would like to follow me, I will lead the way." And with that he turned and led them up the rickety staircase.  
  
Harry recognized room 11, and he remembered that he had stayed in it once before at the beginning of his third year. There were evidently no other guests staying because all the other doors were wide open, and the smell of Mrs Skowers All-purpose magical mess remover was drifting out. "Your trunks will be brought up soon." Tom added as he turned to go back downstairs. "I'm sure he'll calm down soon." Said Harry nervously to Hermione. "I'm starving, why don't we get some food?" "Right." Said Hermione, and they hurried down the stairs to tell Tom where they were going.  
  
It wasn't until two weeks later that they realized how fast time had been going by. It was a sunny Saturday morning, and Harry could hear a chorus of birds singing outside his bedroom window. Hedwig gave a good morning hoot as Harry pushed his round glasses up his nose. "Good morning Hedwig." Harry said groggily in reply. He heard creaking floorboards next-door which told him that Hermione was already up. Yawning, Harry climbed out of bed and rummaged in his trunk for some clothes.  
  
In the next room, Hermione pace up and down, agitated. Where could she have put it? She thought back to when she had last used it. It had been last night, she had been studying it before she went to bed, and then put it on her bedside table. She groaned inwardly. Harry couldn't have taken it could he? She would have to ask him.  
  
She walked down the corridor and tapped gently on Harry's bedroom door. "Harry," she said quietly, so as not to disturb him if he were still asleep. She heard Harry's footsteps padding towards the door, and a second later, a fully dressed Harry appeared at the bedroom door, his unbrushed black hair even more wild than usual. "Harry!" Said Hermione before he had a chance to greet her. "Did you take anything from my room last night?" Harry was surprised to see Hermione so flustered. He frowned. "No." He said "Why would I?" He asked, giving Hermione a curious look. "Oh." Hermione sighed. "It's just that my miniature moving modal of the galaxy that my parents gave me as an early birthday present has gone!" Harry recalled seeing one of these on his first visit to Diagon Alley on his 11th Birthday. He also recalled the price and understood why Hermione was so anxious about it. "I'll have to ask Tom." She added.  
  
Harry had been right about Tom calming down, because as the two weeks had passed, he had become a lot less hostile towards them. "I'm sure it'll turn up." Said Harry, but there was something disconcerting, even in an object going missing, because there was the ever- increasing possibility that Lord Voldermort was behind it. Harry shook himself. Of course Lord Voldermort wasn't behind it. Hermione had probably just misplaced it.  
  
Tom the innkeeper hadn't seen it either, which made Hermione even more anxious, but she seemed to calm down slightly after having some breakfast. "Why don't' we get our school equipment?" Said Harry as soon as they had finished breakfast. The thought of school seemed to cheer Hermione up considerably. "Oh Yes!" Said Hermione brightly "I needed to get that book on advanced transfiguration." "I'll just get my money." Said Harry running up the stairs, relieved that he had managed to take Hermione's mind off her galaxy modal. Ten Minutes later, they were walking along the cobbled street, Diagon Alley.  
  
"I haven't had this much fun all summer!" said Hermione happily as they walked out of Flourish and Blotts, arms full of glossy new spell books. Harry laughed, and then laughed even more as Hermione walked straight into a stack of neatly stacked cauldrons which clattered all over the street. Hermione let out an exasperated 'Honestly' but Harry could see she was trying not to laugh as an old and dignified wizard waggled his finger at her and told her to stop 'goofing around.'  
  
When all the cauldrons had been restored to their rightful place, and the old wizard was out of sight, Harry and Hermione burst out laughing. Five minutes later they were still in hysterics, and it wasn't until Harry felt a tap on his shoulder, that they finally stopped. Harry turned round slowly, hoping it wasn't the old man with more tirades about 'Youths of today,' but instead, a red haired, freckled faced boy of fifteen was staring at them impatiently. It was Ron Weasley, Harry and Hermione's best friend.  
  
"It's about time you two!" He said imploringly. "I thought you were choking!" This sent them all into more fits of hysterics. "I thought you were the old man!" Harry managed to splutter through his laughter. Ron tried to look offended, whilst wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, but failed. By the time they had all stopped laughing, there was no need for greeting each other, and so Harry suggested that they all go and get a Sunday form Florean Fortesques.  
  
"Where have you been?" Asked Ron as they sat under the bright umbrellas outside Florean Fortesques. "Well, until three weeks ago, we were both at our houses, and then we came here," said Harry. "Why didn't you send Pig? I would have sent you an owl, but Hedwig was out all summer with a letter for Hermione." Ron looked puzzled at this. "Pig only came back yesterday, it's the first time he's failed to get a letter to someone. I sent him at the beginning of the holidays with a letter to you Harry, and I assumed that he was just resting with Hedwig, but then he came back." They were all silent for a moment, pondering on what could have happened, then Hermione began to explain the events of the holidays to Ron, prompted occasionally by Harry.  
  
After they had finished their ice cream, Harry told Ron and Hermione that he needed to go to the Magical Creatures shop for some ointment for Hedwig's sore leg which hadn't been getting any better. Ron went in first, and Harry saw him grin at someone in the shop. He walked in, expected to see another Weasley, but instead, he saw the large red face of Hagrid beaming down at him. "Harry!" He boomed (his voice rattling some of the cages hanging from the ceiling.) "Good to see yeh! Having a good holiday I hope?" Harry nodded, but something in Hagrid's hand had just caught his interest. It was a box of dragon food, the type he had seen lying around the Weasleys household last summer, which Charlie had brought home. "Um.Hagrid.what have you got Dragons food for?" Harry asked curiously, he saw Ron and Hermione looking Curiously at Hagrid as well. "Oh, er. its for a friend, who keeps dragons in um. Brazil. Oh I'd really better go, see yeh at school." And with that he swept out of the shop, his face a deep shade of plum. 


	2. The Three Owls

Three Owls  
  
Harry awoke with a start from his trouble less dream, to what sounded like the post arriving. The hands of his luminous alarm clock pointed to 7:30. Taking his time, he dressed and slowly made his way downstairs for breakfast. Dudley was parked in front of the wide screen television, his five chins wobbling as he munched continuously on carrot sticks, which there seemed to be an abundance of in the fridge. He seemed to have recovered from the shock he had received when his suitcase full of stolen chocolates had been discovered by his parents, and had now returned to his diet.  
  
Harry was just helping himself to a handful of carrot sticks, when there was an impatient knocking on the door.  
  
'Door.' Said Dudley, spraying Harry with bits of half-chewed carrot. Without complaining, Harry left, taking his time so he could finish his carrots. He opened the door, and to his surprise, found a very anxious Victor Krum on the doorstep. He looked very tired, as though he had been travelling for a long time.  
  
'Vere is Hermoninny?' he questioned before Harry had a chance to display his astonishment. 'She is not at her home. Her parents said she was here.' It took Harry a while to let this unexpected information to sink in.  
  
'Who's that?' said a voice from the stairs.  
  
'Shhh!' Harry whispered to Krum. 'She's not here, but I'll talk to you in a minute. Just hide around here somewhere. I'll see you in a minute.' And before Krum had time to answer, Harry saw Uncle Vernon's face appear at the foot of the stairs and slammed the door in Krum's face.  
  
'Who was that?' Demanded Uncle Vernon. Harry glared back, giving himself time to think of a good excuse. 'Answer me boy, now!' Shouted Vernon.  
  
'I don't know.' Said Harry simply. 'I opened the door, and there was nobody there.' Uncle Vernon gave him a piercing stare. 'I expect it was someone messing round,' added Harry, to decrease his suspicion. Uncle Vernon turned around, and left, still looking as though he wasn't convinced.  
  
Harry followed Uncle Vernon into the kitchen, but didn't sit down. 'I've finished my breakfast, Thanks.' Said Harry, trying to think of a good excuse to leave. Uncle Vernon swallowed his mouthful of carrot sticks quickly, and said in a loud booming voice:  
  
'Oh no you don't, boy! Sit down and wait for your aunt. Where are your manners!'  
  
Harry shrunk back into his seat. His concern for Hermione was making him weak and unable to resist. After what seemed like and hour, but had probably only been five minutes, Aunt Petunia's bony figure apeared in the doorway.  
  
'There's no need to hang around when your not wanted.' Said Aunt Petunia stiffly in the direction of Harry. Thankfully, Harry leapt to his feet, and, trying to avoid Uncle Vernon's glare, made for the door. He waited for a couple of seconds until the Dursley's begun talking, and then opened the door silently. Krum was well hidden behind Aunt Petunia's perfectly trimmed box hedge, but as Harry opened the door, he looked up cautiously. "Vell, have you seen Hermoninny?" He asked before Harry had a chance to say  
  
anything. His dark eyes looked full of concern. Harry sighed, and flopped down  
  
onto the grass next to Krum. "I haven't heard from her all summer. I sent Hedwig to her, but Hedwig hasn't  
  
returned. How did you get to England?" "I came here to see her. She invited me at the end of last year" A long silence  
  
followed. Finally Krum said, "Vill you help me to look for her?" "Yes", said Harry, without any hesitation, "But I can't go now. I'll..." "Harry!" boomed Uncle Vernon's voice from the house" "I'll tell Professor Dumbledore," said Harry hurriedly. A window squeaked open upstairs. Harry shrank back against the hedge. "I have to go" Harry whispered.  
  
"Who were you talking to?" said a curious voice behind him. Harry turned round  
  
to see Dudley looking delighted. With a feeling of dread, he turned around to look  
  
uneasily at Krum. But he was gone. He was trying not to show the relief on his  
  
face. Instead he forced a laugh and swept past him going back into the house.  
  
He went upstairs and flopped down on his bed.  
  
Then he felt it rather than heard it. He felt shivers down his back. He sat up  
  
sweating. The first thing he saw was that Hedwig was back. She hobbled onto  
  
the windowsill, and fell over. She was lying unconscious, lifeless. Her eyes were  
  
gently shut. Tied to her leg was a travel torn note - shredded and faded.  
  
"Hedwig" Harry moaned, leaping towards his pet, running across the room. Her  
  
wing twitched disconcertingly. Harry untied the message quickly, loosening it  
  
from her leg.  
  
Someone had obviously been trying to remove it, as her leg was raw and rubbed.  
  
Putting the note to one side, Harry tenderly lifted Hedwig up and placed her in her  
  
cage. He made sure she could reach the water from where she lay, and carefully  
  
dripped a few solitary drops into her mouth. Blearily, Hedwig's eyes flickered  
  
open, and she gave an appreciative hoot.  
  
With a sigh of relief, Harry picked up the battered piece of parchment. He could  
  
just make out Hermione's neat script on the lined paper.  
  
Harry, I have to talk to you. I can't say everything in a letter. I'll be at your house, tomorrow, Wednesday. Be in your room at 11.00. Bye, Hermione.  
  
But today was Saturday. What could have happened? Harry looked back at  
  
Hedwig. She was pecking tentatively at some old vegetables. "What happened  
  
Hedwig?" asked Harry, stroking her head absentmindedly. She pecked his finger  
  
affectionately and gave a soft hoot.  
  
Just then there was a rustling sound from the window, and another owl swept in.  
  
It was large, brown and unfamiliar to Harry. It perched on top of Hedwig's cage.  
  
Harry approached it, searching for a scrap of parchment tied to its leg. However  
  
to its surprise, the owl flew forward as he approached it. The next second  
  
Hermione was standing in his bedroom, looking very flushed. "Hermione" Harry  
  
gasped, "you're an animagus".  
  
Hermione sat down on his bed. Harry was still staring at her in astonishment.  
  
"We have more important things to discuss - seriously". Harry continued staring  
  
at her. "Harry -Voldermort is after you" "Hermione I KNOW!" he shouted. "It's a well known fact - of course he's after  
  
me - Hermione - you're an animagus! Why didn't you tell me?" "Harry" said Hermione, gently "I'm not an animagus, I'll explain later. Seriously, Harry. When I say he's after you, I mean he's on his way.  
  
Dumbledore put a charm on him to make him weaker - be on guard, Harry -  
  
that's the reason why you're not already dead!" "I think you'd better explain to me what's been going on!" Harry said, making  
  
himself comfortable on the bed. Hermione sat down cross-legged and cleared  
  
her throat. Harry was surprised how much he'd missed Hermione, even though it had been  
  
less than six weeks since he'd last seen her. But he supposed it was because  
  
he had so little time to talk together at the end of last year.  
  
"It started last Monday. I sent an owl to Viktor, asking him to come and stay with  
  
me. "But Hermione" Harry interrupted "You don't have an owl" "Hold on Harry, I'm coming to that" said Hermione reassuringly, and relaxed  
  
again. "Anyway, his reply was, well, strange. It said could I meet him at Diagon Alley on  
  
Tuesday. So, I went down to London, like he said, but Harry! I saw him! You  
  
Know Who, at least I think it was him. Wormtail was definitely there though -he  
  
scuttled past me, as I walked into the Leaky Cauldron. Anyway, You Know Who  
  
was talking to a bald man in muggle clothes. I couldn't see You Know Whose  
  
face though. He was wearing a long hooded cloak, and he had his back to me!" Hermione paused for a moment to catch her breath. "Well, what did you do?" prompted Harry? "I sat down! At a table right next to theirs and listened..." Hermione gave a sly smile and explained the conversation she had overheard.  
  
"But Hermione" Harry said, when she had finished. "How did they know he'd  
  
apparate in Diagon Alley?" "I told you Harry, he would know that if an owl turned up at my house, the first  
  
thing I'd do would be to send an owl to Krum, which I did. You Know Who then  
  
intercepted it and edited my letter, so that Karcaroff would apparate in the Leaky  
  
Cauldron, because he wants me Harry. Karcaroff needs my knowledge of spells,  
  
so he can hide from You Know Who".  
  
Harry looked baffled. He was too shocked for this information to sink in. Finally, he said "Hermione, I knew you were really clever, but you are simply the most amazing witch ever!" Hermione smiled, trying not to look too pleased with herself. "It wasn't only that - I mean, he knows something about me, something I have to explain. Harry, I've invented some spells!" This statement didn't have as much of an effect as she had hoped. "They haven't got names yet," She continued " But the one Karkaroff's after makes it more difficult for someone, for example Voldermort, to find the person who performs the charm, for example Karkaroff." Harry stared at her blankly. "Hermione," He groaned "Slow down!" "It doesn't work too well. Especially if you know who is a long way away, but it does help. That's why I've come to you Harry. You have to perform the charm! Mind you take care though Harry." She was talking very fast now. "I put an essence of the fideleous charm, in a perificus format, so mind that you do the merlins flick carefully." She took a deep breath. "WHAT?" Exclaimed Harry, astonished. "Hermione, I didn't understand a word you said!" "Ok, sorry, I forgot you don't know how to make spells. It's not that difficult. I really should show you how do make them!" Harry starred at Hermione in amazement, blinked, and they began work.  
  
Several hours later they had still made no progress. "It's incredibly simple Harry. Just clear your mind!" Harry groaned. It was nearly as bad as before the First Challenge last November. Harry closed his eyes, the words flickering through his mind. "Discedo Tibi Totalus!" Harry shouted. There was a flash of white light, but instead of cheering, Hermione gasped. "Harry! I forgot! You're not allowed to do magic outside school!" Harry frowned. "And you are?" "Yes!" Hermione said, blushing slightly. "You know I had the time turner in our third year?" Harry's frown deepened. "Yes." He said curiously. "Well, I had to practice using it before I got it, so professor McGonagall cast a spell on me to prevent the ministry seeing when I used magic!" She giggled. "Hermione! Why didn't you tell me?" Said Harry, slightly indignant. "I don't know." Hermione said impatiently. "It didn't seem important." "Ok, so now I'm going to get an official warning again. Thanks Hermione, you just got me expelled." Harry said sarcastically. Hermione laughed. "Harry! I'm joking! The ministry is way to busy to worry about this. Anyway, my spell isn't registered. The ministry would only notice that half spells had been performed. They would just think it was a mistake. Nothing has happened to you yet, let's try again!" "Hermione, are you sure about this?" Said Harry, exhausted. "What? Harry you don't trust me at all. Let's try again."  
  
Much later Hermione let out a squeal of delight. "I think you're finally getting this Harry!" Harry gave Hermione a weary smile and flopped onto the bed. "It's about time!" He chuckled. He was beginning to relax now. The shock of discovering Hermione in his bedroom was beginning to wear off. Suddenly there was a shout from downstairs. "HARRY! Get down here at once and help me prepare lunch!" Harry jolted back into reality. "Er. coming." He shouted vaguely back down the stairs. "Hermione! Quick what should we do?" "Relax Harry!" Hermione soothed. "Why don't you just come with me?" Harry gave a hollow laugh. "Easier said than done. Like the Dursleys would let me. I might have fun!" "Why is it difficult?" Hermione frowned. "Just walk out. Say you're going to my house. We can stay at the leaky cauldron, seeing as my parents think I'm staying at your house for the remainder of the holidays." Harry smiled. "Help me pack my things!"  
  
Harry stumbled down the stairs. "You get in here at once!" Shrieked Aunt Petunia, pointing to the kitchen door. "I'm just popping out to see my godfather. He asked to visit him, he's getting worried you know, and he's ready to come if I need his help." Aunt Petunia opened her mouth to reply, horrified, but Harry didn't wait to hear it. He left, slamming the door behind him. 


End file.
